IS EMMA RADUCANU’S "NIGHT OWL" TRAINING SCHEDULE THE SECRET TO HER MELBOURNE SUCCESS?
Emma Raducanu overcame a slow start and a midnight schedule to reach the second round. Is she ready for a Sabalenka showdown?
Sixteen minutes into her first match at Melbourne Park, Emma Raducanu looked lost. Down 1-3, 15-40, she couldn’t find her footing. Across the net, her opponent—a newcomer most people hadn’t even heard of—was playing out of her mind. It was the kind of moment that could send a player spiralling: panic, errors, the whole thing falling apart.
But Raducanu stayed calm. She shook off the rough start, found her game, and cruised into the second round of the Australian Open, beating Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1.
The circumstances weren’t easy. It was late at night, the opponent was hot, and the pressure was on. Still, Raducanu handled it all and walked off with a win that should give her a much-needed shot of confidence after a rocky off-season.
“I feel very happy to have gotten through the match,” she said afterwards. “From the beginning, she was playing so well. All her shots were landing right on the baseline—really tough. I’m proud of how I fought back.”
Raducanu didn’t have much time to settle in. She played in Hobart on Thursday night, her flight to Melbourne was delayed, and she ended up with just one day to adjust and practice before stepping on court. She also had to deal with a late-night slot—her only practice session at Melbourne Park ran from 9:15 to 11 p.m. “I’m a night owl, but not for playing. That’s for ‘Emma time’,” she joked.
She’s been trying to train herself to handle these late matches. “Half the battle is just figuring out how to arrange the day—when to switch on, when to switch off. I’ve tried a few things. Today, I actually felt really good before the match, and it helped that the match before mine didn’t run too long. I didn’t end up on court too late.”
Sawangkaew, also 23 and making her first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw, was the real reason Raducanu struggled early. Sawangkaew’s ranking—196—doesn’t show her true level. She’d been climbing the ranks until an injury put her out for six months last season, just after she cracked the top 100.
She came out swinging, using her heavy topspin forehand to push Raducanu back, rushing the net, and forcing errors with sharp defence. “Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was doing much wrong,” Raducanu admitted.
Still, her serve was off, and her forehand wasn’t clicking. She went down two breaks and seemed in trouble, but suddenly, everything started to work. Her serve came alive at the right moments, and her forehand started to land. Once she found her groove, she ran away with it.
“Today, I felt like I had better control over all my shots than I have in the last few weeks,” she said. “And honestly, all the matches and points I played recently, even the tough ones, helped me today. If I hadn’t played those three matches, I’m not sure I’d have gotten through this one. I’m glad I put myself in those situations.”
Next up, things get tougher. She’ll face Anastasia Potapova, a 24-year-old who switched to playing for Austria this year. Potapova is ranked 55 now, but has been as high as 21 and was once the top junior in the world. If Raducanu wins, she might face No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round—which should give a real sense of where her game stands.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, started her own tournament with an easy win Sunday night, taking out French wildcard Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka’s been in the last three Melbourne finals, winning two. She’s still the favourite.
With Roger Federer watching from the stands, Sabalenka kept pushing her game forward—she came to the net 22 times. “I’ve been working on serve and volley,” she said. “It’s one thing to do it in practice, but to do it in a match, to be fearless and just go for it, that’s something else. I’m really proud I could show that tennis.”
THE 3.3.26 DATE: UNEARTHING THE ROMANTIC DETAILS BEHIND ARYNA SABALENKA’S PROPOSAL IN CALIFORNIA
Aryna Sabalenka is engaged: Read about the 3.3.26 proposal to Georgios Frangulis and the reactions from Gauff, Alcaraz, and Djokovic.
Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz are just a couple of the tennis stars who rushed to celebrate Aryna Sabalenka’s big news: she’s engaged to Georgios Frangulis.
Sabalenka dropped the announcement on social media right before kicking off her run at Indian Wells. As the world number one, she’ll jump straight into the second round, waiting to face either Alycia Parks or Himeno Sakatsume. But honestly, her focus seems split lately, and who can blame her? Off the court, she’s soaking up all the love and congratulations pouring in from fellow players.
She posted a video of the proposal on Instagram, adding a simple, sweet caption: “You & me, forever, 3.3.26.” Coco Gauff chimed in with a quick "Congratulations", and Alcaraz went all out with a stretched-out “Congratulatiooooons!” Ben Shelton and Amanda Anisimova also sent their best, and even Novak Djokovic shared some love. Sabalenka’s close friend Paula Badosa joined in, and skiing legend Lindsey Vonn couldn’t resist commenting either.
Now, with all the excitement swirling around her engagement, you have to wonder, can Sabalenka keep her head in the game at Indian Wells? Wedding plans are probably swirling in her mind, but if history tells us anything, it’s that Sabalenka knows how to lock in when it matters. Her serve is as deadly as ever, and she’s already put together an 11-1 win-loss record this season, with two finals under her belt.
She kicked things off with a title in Brisbane, then hit a snag in the Australian Open final against Elena Rybakina. No doubt, she’s itching to get back to her winning ways in California. The hard courts there play right into her strengths, and all four of her Grand Slam titles have come on this surface. Plus, she’s been a finalist at Indian Wells twice, so she’s got plenty of motivation to finally go all the way.
The field is stacked, so it won’t be easy. But honestly, if anyone’s primed for a breakthrough at Indian Wells, it’s Sabalenka.
TENNIS TRIPLE THREAT: ALCARAZ, SINNER, AND SABALENKA HUNT FOR GLOBAL SPORTS' BIGGEST INDIVIDUAL TROPHIES
Laureus 2026 nominees are out: Read why Alcaraz, Sinner, and Sabalenka are favourites to win global sports' most prestigious awards.
The Laureus Sports Awards announced their latest nominees on Tuesday, and tennis really took centre stage this year. Five tennis players landed spots across different categories, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner leading the charge as top contenders for World Sportsman of the Year.
These awards are a pretty big deal in the sports world, and tennis stars usually get a lot of love here. Legends like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams have all racked up multiple wins. Other big names, Justine Henin, Naomi Osaka, and Jennifer Capriati, have also claimed trophies in various categories.
This year, Alcaraz and Sinner headline the men’s awards. Both are up for World Sportsman of the Year after smashing through 2025 with two Grand Slam singles titles apiece. Alcaraz grabbed the French Open and US Open, collecting eight ATP titles overall. Sinner wasn’t far behind, winning six titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz didn’t slow down, either. He kicked off 2026 by winning the Australian Open and just kept rolling.
It’s not just about the men, though. Aryna Sabalenka is in the running for World Sportswoman of the Year after a dominant 2025. She spent the entire year as world No. 1 and picked up her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, plus three more WTA titles. She’s joined on the shortlist by footballer Aitana Bonmati, athletes Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Faith Kipyegon, and swimmer Katie Ledecky.
Amanda Anisimova’s comeback story also got some well-deserved recognition. She’s up for World Comeback of the Year after an incredible season where she made the finals at both the US Open and Wimbledon, scooped up two WTA 1000 titles, broke into the top 20, and finished the year ranked world No. 4. She’s competing with cyclists Egan Bernal and Simon Yates, golfer Rory McIlroy, athlete Yulimar Rojas, and footballer Leah Williamson.
Joao Fonseca is another name to watch. He’s nominated for World Breakthrough of the Year after jumping from outside the top 140 to inside the top 30, winning two ATP titles, and scoring wins at all four Grand Slams.
The shortlists are stacked this year. You’ve got Ousmane Dembele, Mondo Duplantis, Marc Marquez, and Tadej Pogacar in the men’s field. For the breakthrough award, there’s also footballer Desire Doue, basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, darts prodigy Luke Littler, F1 champ Lando Norris, and swimmer Yu Zidi. The competition looks fierce all around.
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